In this episode of Odd Lots, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway speak with retired US Army Colonel Wayne Sanders, now a senior defense research analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, about the rise of directed energy weapons. They discuss how lasers, once considered science fiction, have now become a reality capable of shooting down missiles, the physics challenges researchers had to overcome, why hand-held laser guns remain elusive, and what makes a weapon system 'exquisite.' The conversation also explores the economic costs that shape battlefield adoption and the unique supply chain constraints affecting laser weapon development.
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Highlights
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Lasers Are Now Shooting Down Missiles
Directed energy weapons have advanced from Reagan-era science fiction to real-world defense systems capable of intercepting missiles.
Researchers had to overcome fundamental physics problems, such as generating sufficient power and maintaining beam coherence, to make laser weapons effective.